Improvement in compositions for bleaching and stuffing-leather



XR 12e368 UNI ED STATES ts deierence Search PAT NT OFFICE- L. W. FISKE, OF LOUISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

Specification formingpart of Letters Patent No. 12,368, dated February 6,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it-known that I, L. WooDBURY FISKE, of

Louisville, Jefi'ersou county, Kentucky, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Bleaching and Stufiing Leather; and I hereby declare that the following-is a full, clear, and

exact description of the nature, object, and

modes of operating my said improvements, to witv I The nature of my invention consists in an improved mode of bleaching and stufiing leather by using certain compounds made of ingredients, in proportions,- audaccording to directions hereinafter to be described,in a mannor to be specified.

The objectof my improvement is, first, to save from twenty to eighty. per cent. in the cost of materials. for the finish; second, to'save from one to three hundred per cent. on the time hitherto required in these processes; third, to

increase the fairness, weight, and durability of the leather; fourth, to enhance the market valueof each side or skin finished from sixty to one hundred per cent; fifth, to enableordi nary workmen to effect results hitherto requiring the most expert workmen; sixth, to enable ordinary tanners easily and safely to produce fair leather of the best quality in the hottest summer weather..

by setting? on the flesh side with a stone and on the grain side with a slicker. Rinse them thoroughly with a brush to remove the bloom, and they are ready for the bleaching.

V For warm-bleaching a set and bleach are used of the following compounds, viz: I The set is composed of four gallons of clean I water at from 130 to 140 Fahrenheit to every four pounds of sulphuric acid of about the specific'gravity from 1.823 to 1.847, or 65? to 66 .muriaticacid.

Tax; and sugar of lead separately.

Baum,'one-haif pound of dissolved alum, onehalf pound of dissolved borax, and from three to five pounds of commousalt.

Thc bleach is composed of four gallons of clean water at 140. Fahrenheit for every six pounds of sugar of lead and one-fourth pound of common chalk (pure) dissolved in dilute This bleach and set maybe prepared according to the following observations. and directions: If the market demand a pe-, culiar very pale and yellow color, to theiugredients of the bleach aforesaid must be added onopound of best starch. 7

To prepare the above-named ingredients for use the following is a convenient method, viz: Take four or six common pickle-jars holding about a gallon each. lulvcrize the alum, bo-

Put the' quantities above given of each into separate jars. Fill thejars contaiuiug'thealum and borax with hot water several hours before usin "1. Fillthesugar of leadjar about twenty or thirty minutes before using. lulverizethc chalk in a mortar, putit into a jar with a pintof water, add, pouring in asmall thin stream, half a tcacupful, (about four ounces) of muriatic acid, agitate the jar for a few minutes, and lill it with warm water. Every four dozen of bagieather will require about two pounds of alum, two pounds ofborax, and a proportionatequan tity of the other ingredients, as above named. Care must be taken, when the ingredients are likely to be exhausted from the jars, to have. them replenished in good time to be ready when required for use. This is espcciallyuccessary with the sugar oflcad, which jar ought on that account, when used out of, to be refilled half-full of sugar of lead and filled up with hot water as soon as the first proportions have been taken from it. Care should be taken when the first tub of set is prepared to taste it, so as to be able to watch and preserve its acid strength by tasting it from time to time as the work goes on, audwhen this strength is observed to decrease to strengthen it up again by pouring in sulphuric acid. These general proportionsobserved will produce'thc best results with prfectly-tanued leather that has becn'well managed; bu-timperfections in tanning, cleansing, or scouring-will requireinore or less strengthening up ofthe bleach and set si'x pounds of pulverized and withdraw it.

- it in the bleach-tub tubs, hegeinaften named, thereby varying slightly and in a manner easily to be acquired by experience these proportions.

Forcold-bleaehingthe following aretheprep- 'arations,viz: Several hours before required for i use dissolve in separate jars, as described for warm-bleaching, two pounds otalum, two pounds of borax, and, a half-hour before using, sugar of lead. In a fourth jar put one pound of pure pulverized thalk and a pintoi' clean water. Pourinabout a halfteacnpful (fourodnces) of muriatic acid, agitate it for a few minutes, and pour lll another pint of water. Have four stone or glazed earthenware crocks about twelve inches broad and four inches deep, numbered, for convcnience of reference, 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. and for each a large clean scrubbing-brush that willreadily go into it horizontally. In No. 1 prepare the set by filling it two-thirds full of clean, soft, cold water and pouring in for every two quarts of water aboutthc half of a small tea-cupful of sulphuric acid. In No. 2 puthalf of the solutions of alum and borax above directed to be prepared, adding a pint of water. In No. 3, after stirring, pour from the solution of sugar of lead enough to fill the crock about two inches deep, so that the brush can be perfe'ctly saturated by dipping in it. Into No. 4 put a pint of water and half of the chalk-mixture made as aforesaid. v

Great care must be taken, after a few hides have been bleached,-to strengthen up the solutions in the different crooks from the jars, which to that end must be kept duly replenished. This will be especially necessary with the sugar of lead, which is consumed much faster than theother ingredients.

The mode of operating in the warm-bleaching is as follows, viz: The shaving and scouring having been done, the bleach and set pre pared as aforesaid, and three or four gallons of each compound put into a tub of convenient size and shape (which maybe flaring and a little larger than a half-barrel) for handling a single skin at a time. A large tub containing from eighty to one 11 undrcd gallons ofclean water is placed near them, the water, the bleach, and the set being all at about the temperature of 140 Fahrenheit. Take a single side or skin, immerse it in the h .t water,- plunging it up and down two or three times quickly, Immerse it in the set-tub in the same manner. Take itout and immerse and withdraw it in the same way. Continue to natcly in the set and bleach until the color suits; then hang up and san'nny-that is, partially dry-and the hide or skin will be ready for stalling. 4

Care must be taken to preserve t e set at about the tern perature of 140 Fahrenheit, and

when it falls much below that a bucket or porcelain-lined kettle full should be dipped out of the tub and heated with steampipe or fire and poured back until the temperature is restored.

immerse thus alterand when from defects in i'li'dpreliminary processes on the hides or badmanage'men t these:- proportions are lost thg nrixture's in lhetnbs' should be renewed.

If the strengthening-up be properly attended to every tive or six sides, from four to six dozen may easily be bleached without emptying the tubs.

In all themanipulations the skins should be carefully kept from touching anything that could soil or stain them.

After the last bleaching-dip a different shade maybe given by immersing the skin gently in clean roldwater and hanging it out, as before said.

Theoperations ofcold'bleachingare: Having the crooks containing the solutions prepared and numbered, with the brushes, as hereinbefore described, take the sides, after shaving, 7 .setting out, scouring,

time, and stretch them on thetable' with a line and rinsing, one at a copper slicker or stretching-iron, always taking care to smooth'with the grain. After stretching take the brush saturated from crock No. l and apply it with asmoothcven stroke over the surface of the skin. Then give the skin alight coat in thesame manner from No. 4.' Give next a coat from No. 2. Fiuish'with a coat from No. 3. Hang up and sammy' or partially dry, and it is ready for the finish.

Gare must'bc taken to observe the directions heretofore given about strengthening up the mixture in the crooks.

The foregoing operations are for thoroughly prepared hides; but a little observation and experience will readily enable the workman to adapt them to the various qualities and imperfections of the skins, so as to produce afine permanent color of any desired shade.

Having 'by either of these bleaching processes produced the requisite color, the next step is the stufiing and finishing.

Themod'e of preparing the stuffing for the flesh and oiling for the grain sideof the skin is as follows, viz.:

3 -F0rthe staffing of tire flesh side-For every three gallonsgof common stuffing take onefourth of a pound offinely-powdered'alum, onefourth of a pound of ilnely powdered borer, one-fourth of apound'ot tine] y-powdered sugar of lead, dissolve them jin a quart ofhot water, and allow thesolution to cool. Mix this solu' tion with one pound of superfine --flou1;to the consistence of thin pudding.

consistence of thick mucilage. Put into it a table-spoonful of alcohol. Of this mixture take a half tea-cupful and mix well with the other ingredients above named. For the oiling 6f the grain side-For one Dissolve a halfpound of gum-tragacanth inhot water to the TREATMENT & CHEltElCAL MODIFT CQTTON OF TEXTELES & FIBERS,

dross deterrents? asses P a quart of tanners oil take one small tea-cupfnl ot'solntion of alum, horns, and sugar of lead,

made as above described, and mix them well together. 4

Having: the stutfing and oiling thus pre-. pareth'the'followmg is the mode of applying them Set out or stretch smoothly with a cop.- per slicker on the flesh-side, Lay on an even coat ot the prepared as aforesaid, stufg fl iianksand light places lightly. Fold 3m pile up in'.a elean place until a dozen skins "are staffed. E-et these out on the grain side,-

moVjjlQ the tool over the various parts of the side, always with the grain. Wet the SltlfilCO with a finc sponge dipped in clean cold water.

- with a light, even, straight motion. Oil lightly with a fine clean sponge dipped in the oiling; prepared as aforesaid. Cut slits in the edges, hang up with strings carefully, to dry.

' When dried sufficiently apply the stnfiing as before. Then pommel, cleansing of)? the stufting from the tool onthe side-oi the vessel, smoothing out any inequalities in the stufling caused in setting out the grain side, and suspending. Be careful to have the corners of your stone and slit-her round, smooth, and clean,

and not to stop the motion of the tool on the I grain of the leather. when dry, trim,ro1l up, grain sides together, cover them with coarse cheap cloth or paper, and they are ready for the market.

Having thus explained the nature and 0bject of my'said improvement in bleaching and stuffing leather and the processes and opera I tions thereof, so that personsskilledinthe art of carrying can w ell understand and perform the same, I now declare that I do not intend to claim the use of the ingredients therein named separately or in other combinations employed for the same or analogous purposes; but

1 claim- The improved mode of bleaching and stnfi ing leather before described by usingfthe bleaching and stuffing compounds, made 0f:

the ingredients, or their equivalents, in theproportions, and inthe mode specified, substantially in the manner and for the purposes set forth.

I L. WQODBURY. FISKE.-

- Witnesses:' t

ALEX. DUVALL, J. H. M. MORRIS.

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